46. Her headache isn't letting up, she thinks as she rubs her fingers into the space above her ear. Why won't it let up? She tries taking a deep breath, but she can't. Her heart's pounding too fast, and her lungs won't fill properly. The walk sign flashes and she starts to cross, ignoring the sick feeling in her stomach. Why does she feel such a sense of foreboding?
Not just about Shizuo. Something big is going to happen in Ikebukuro again. And without an investigation out of town, she's going to be caught in the middle of the storm, right where she doesn't want to be. She's only endured one of Izaya's twisted games, a conflict between two color gangs that had occurred almost three years ago now. It had happened just after she'd moved in, and it was the first evidence her suspicions of her new roommate weren't ungrounded. The slimeball. She's avoided 'big' events and conflicts ever since. They aren't worth the nightmares, or the headaches, the stress, and everything else.
A lump forms in her throat and she wonders again where Shizuo is and why he wouldn't-or couldn't-answer her call. She tells herself she isn't too worried. That Shizuo's fine. That it's just the idea of chaos and nightmares that have her worked up. Then it occurs to her Izaya may be taking another crack at her.
Unlikely, though, considering what she did to him the first time. Still, if he-
"Hey, Taniyama." A voice greets her and she turns to see Tom standing several paces behind her.
She nods stiffly and asks if he's heard from Shizuo today, her dread resurfacing again.
"Well, no, but his shift doesn't start till this afternoon. Why do you ask?"
She answers she's been trying to contact him all day, but for some reason or another, her calls aren't getting through. Tom agrees with her that does sound odd, and he tries calling himself. Mai's heart sinks lower as her friend pulls the phone away from his ear a second later. "Straight to voicemail."
Mai nods again. She hadn't expected anything less.
"You know, you aren't looking too good today." Tom notes, frowning at her. "You're really pale. Are you all right?"
-0-0-0-
Author's Notes:
Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.
Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.